Consequences
by Terina00
Summary: Ken 10 Universe. Spoilers for that episode. Rated T for angst, mild language, and psychological torture/physical abuse of children. The Tennysons deal with the consequences of the events of Ken 10.
1. Chapter 1

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_Ken 10 Universe__. __Won't really make sense unless you saw that episode. __Spoilers__ for it as well__. Rated T for angst, mild language, and psychological torture/physical abuse of children. __The Tennyson deal with the consequences of the events of _Ken 10.

_It has been brought to my attention that tags make it seem like this is a Kenny/Devlin fic. Though it contains both characters, this is NOT a slash, nor does it contain **ANY** pairing for either of them._

_Disclaimer: _Ben 10_ and its characters are owned by _Cartoon Network,_ and I am using them without permission. Please don't sue._

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**Consequences**

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******Part 1**

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"Gran'pa! Ken keeps kicking me!"

"Well spluh, 'cause you keep putting your leg on my side!"

"I'm telling mom!"

"Yeah go whine to mom, you little baby.** GWEN IS A BAAABBY, GWEN IS A BAAABY!"**

"I hate you!"

"I hate you infinity!"

"You know, no one would blame you for wishing you were still an only child," Max Tennyson joked as he pulled the hover car up to Rushmore Middle School Central. 12-year- old Devlin Tennyson smiled as he reached behind their seats to rescue his backpack from between his new brother and sister. "Nah, they're not so bad. At least, when they're not in the same room as each other. See you guys later!"

"Bye Dev!" came the chorus from the backseat.

"Have a good day, son!" added Max.

The day had started out normal enough.

After Devlin was dropped off at school, Max watched as 11-year-old Ken and 9-year-old Guinevere made their way into the double doors leading into their elementary school. They bickered the whole way.

As acclimated as Devlin was becoming to his new family, he didn't usually join in on the younger two's fights. He also didn't get quite as angry about their personal freedoms, and left Ken and little Gwen to fight for them. Ben and Kai were relentless in their over protectiveness. Ben 10K was a highly visible public figure with numerous enemies. Death threats and stalkers were common occurrences. So the parents tried to employ numerous forces to protect their kids. But Ken and Gwen were both mischievous children who wanted and needed their own space. Compromises became an enormous part of their family life. They were allowed to attend normal school ("The only thing worse than school," claimed Gwen, "is HOME school), but friends' families had to have background checks before the kids could go over their houses. They weren't allowed to ride the bus, but they were left at the curb outside in the mornings instead of being escorted in (which Ken announced was the epitome of "un-shwey").

Devlin, on the other hand, didn't mind losing some control of his life as long as he got to have a family. Freedom meant nothing without stability.

* * *

Most people thought that Kevin 11K hated his son. That wasn't true or even really fair, he felt. Truth be told, that would have required him to feel any kind of emotion at all towards Devlin, and he simply didn't. He was just… there. The boy existed, he existed; there wasn't anything more to it than that.

Benji changed all that. Devlin was KEVIN'S, and Benji took him for himself. Ben, who got everything he could possibly ever want. Who was handed his powers on a silver tray, who had fame, fortune, the admiration of billions, but never was satisfied with just that. No, he had to take everything Kevin had as well. Earth's damned golden boy.

He had to be made to suffer, to feel the pain that he inflicted on others.

He had to pay.

* * *

It was Devlin who first noticed something was wrong.

It was Tuesday; on Tuesdays after school Ken had karate and Gwen had soccer practice, but Devlin went home straight. Life at the 10K compound was hectic, with family, heroes, and staff constantly running around. Gwendolyn was off-planet, Max was coordinating her mission from the command center, Ben was dealing with one crisis or another, and Kai was… doing whatever it is that Kai did.

In contrast, Devlin's afternoon was fairly calm. He finished his homework early and spent some time playing video games in the simulator. After a while he got bored and, noticing the time, went searching 

for his brother and sister. It was past the time they usually got back. They usually sought him out when they returned, so it was a bit unusual, but he didn't have any reason to be concerned.

Yet.

* * *

"Ben?"

"Hey Devlin, I'm in the middle of something, can we talk later?"

"But, I can't find Ken or Gwen!"

"It's Tuesday; they have after school stuff today."

"Yeah, but they should have been home like 2 hours ago!"

Ben Tennyson looked up from the screen he was looking at and switched his gaze to his adopted son. Devlin wasn't prone to overreactions, and the look in his blue eyes told Ben all he needed to know. He felt something in his stomach clench. "What time is it?"

"6 o'clock."

"Ken has karate and Gwen has soccer, right?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, let's start by checking the messages; maybe they called and we missed it. Then we'll call their carpools." Carpools were another "normal life" compromise. "I'm sure they just hit traffic or something." He put his hand on Devlin's shoulder and gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Cliff, I have to go take care of something. You all right here?"

"Yes sir."

"All right Dev, let's go find them."

* * *

"Are you sure?" Kai repeated.

"Completely sure," Mrs. Alderjaon's voice answered over the phone. "Ken never showed up at karate. Chris swears he was at school, but wasn't at practice. We just assumed that one of you picked him up."

"All right. Let me know if you hear anything."

"Kai? I'm sorry. I should have called and let you know right away, but I didn't think anything was wrong-"

"It's ok, Rosa, really. I'll talk to you soon."

The news wasn't good. There were no messages concerning either kid, so Ben called Gwen's carpool and Kai Ken's. Gwen's ride repeated Rosa Alderjaon's story.

"Ok," Ben said, trying to hide his growing concern. "Let's go to the security office. We should be able to locate them through their tracers. Devlin? Go get Grandpa Max, ok?" Devlin nodded before running off.

"No need to worry him," Ben sighed.

"Yet," Kai responded. "This is going to be bad."

"Let's hope not," he said, taking her hand.

* * *

"Come on, come on," Max urged as the computer ran the algorithms. "What is taking so long?"

"Sir, we made the tracers small on purpose, to be able to fit into Miss Tennyson's earrings and necklaces, and young Mr. Tennyson's Omnitrix. That means the signals are harder to detect-"

"Stop being technical and find my great-grandchildren!"

"Yes, sir." Devlin would have laughed if the situation had been less serious.

"Signal received. It…" The tech turned and looked at them. "Sirs, the only signals we are receiving are from the jewelry box in the Miss Tennyson's room."

* * *

Sitting in a quiet corner seven hours later, Devlin surveyed the chaos around him with a sense of detachment. He felt numb. He had finally gotten the loving family he had always dreamed of, and now the thought of it being shattered.… His brain just shut down. So instead he just watched the scene around him. The common room was packed with Plumbers, family, Galactic Enforcers, and local police. News crews swarmed around outside. Celebrities were news and so were tragedy; celebrities plus tragedy equaled ratings gold. Having a galaxy full of people prying in on his private life was something he was not exactly enjoying, even in his disconnected state.

A warm hand landed on his shoulder. "Don't worry kiddo. We'll find them."

"Gwendolyn? I thought you were gone."

"I teleported back as soon as I could." She moved in front of the boy. "Really, Devlin, it **will **be ok. We'll find them. We've handled worse; we won't fail Ken or Gwen." Her green eyes and warm smile did indeed calm his nerves somewhat.

"Ben! Ben! This just appeared in the lobby!" Dex, a Splixson who worked in reception, came dashing in, something flapping in his grasp. Ben and Kai strode over and met him half way, with Ben taking the envelope and opening it. Devlin dashed over to their sides. When they froze up, he pulled the man's arms down so he could read the note as well.

_Dearest Benji,_

_Mess with mine, I mess with yours._

_-K11_

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_--_

--

_Author's note: _

_What is this? It has an original plot, dialogue, new characters, and GASP! CHAPTERS?! _

_I know, I'm scared too. _

_(: grin :)  
_

_Anyway, this story was quite a long thought process. Originally, it was going to be a drabble, containing just the plot found in this chapter. After I wrote it, I wasn't satisfied with the flow, so I went back, adding details, dialogue, etc. Then I realized it no longer worked as a stand-alone; it needed to a finished product if I wanted to post it. So then it became a challenge; __could __I finish it? _

_Well, apparently, yes I could. I have a finished draft on my computer. Which leads to my next point:_

_IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS, PLEASE SHARE THEM IN A REVIEW. I want to make sure that what I'm writing makes sense, so some feedback would be GREATLY appreciated so I can tweak the later chapters. Also, if you'd like to BETA READ it, I'd love you forever. Plus, you get to read the whole story sooner! ___

_Lastly, props go out to the RPG I'm in over at livejournal (yes, I am a geek). I play little Gwen, which is partly why she's in this story. She isn't actually my creation; I think she's Benmun's. Anyway, some details have been borrowed from there, as well as the original inspiration, so thanks guys! _


	2. Chapter 2

**Consequences**

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**Part 2 of 9**

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Eight days later, they were found.

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Gwen lay in the infirmary, her left arm wrapped tight around her stuffed toy Terry, the Tetramand. She was pretending to be sleeping, but she wasn't. Her eyes found her brother a few beds down, but she looked away quickly, not wanting to get caught.

She couldn't sleep, but she didn't want to talk to anyone, either. Since they'd been freed, there was a constant flow of people around her, and her mother and grandparents had barely left their bedsides. They'd talked to her and asked her how she was doing and if she was ok, but for a usually outgoing child she was surprisingly quiet. In fact, she hadn't talked to anyone but Ken since her homecoming.

Her father was… out. She didn't want to think about that.

Even while she wasn't watching him, she could still she Ken in her head. The side of his faced was laced with ugly, multicolored bruises and was highlighted by sutured gash that matted his hair.

She didn't want to think about that either, or how it had happened…

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a new presence enter the room. It hadn't even been a week since a new aspect of her Anodite powers had started to manifest, so she wasn't quite sure, but it seemed familiar. She stayed very still, closed her eyes, and concentrated.

_Fear. Sadness. __**Guilt.**_

_Devlin._

She had never "felt" Devlin before and had no real reason to know who he was by that alone, but she did.

Gwen hugged Terry a little tighter and tried to block it out, wishing he would just go away. But he just stood there, and she couldn't block.

Half an hour later, he left and she relaxed, finally falling into a restless sleep.

* * *

"Where's dad?" Ken asked again.

"Honey, we told you, he's out taking care of some things," Kai tried to soother son for what seemed like the hundredth time. Ken crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the adults around the room. One glance at his sister said she wasn't buying the story either. But looking at her led to all other sorts of thoughts so he quickly looked away, refocusing on the problem at hand.

"What kind of _'things'? _And where's Devlin? Is he ok?"

Grandma Sandra tried this time. "Nothing you need to worry about, your dad will be back soon, and Devlin is fine; I think he's in his room. Right now, our priority is **you two** getting better."

Ken rolled his eyes. "We're **fine.** We don't need you to-"

"Good morning!" He was interrupted as a new woman entered the room. She appeared to be in her 30's, with long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was wearing a skirt and shirt, and was pretty in a normal sort of way. She carried a briefcase and Ken immediately identified her as the enemy.

"You must be Doctor Morgan," greeted Grandpa Wes, rising from where he sat on Gwen's bed. "We're so glad you could make it so quickly. Kids, this is-"

"The psychologist, we **know,"** replied Ken darkly.

"Yes, I'm Doctor Morgan, 'the psychologist'," she replied more brightly, "but you can call me Ana." She smiled at the two. Ken glared and Gwen just stared blankly back, clutching Terry.

"Now Kenny, we're counting on you to set a good example for your sister and talk to Ana," said Grandpa Carl. "She's here to help."

"I don't **need** help, I'm fine, we're both fine. Right Gwen?" Her lips turned up slightly at his glance. "See? We don't need to talk to anybody."

Grandpa Carl sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Nevertheless, we'd appreciate it if you did." He gave his grandson a hug, wrapping his arms around the boy whose arms were still crossed tightly around his own body. "We'll leave you three to get acquainted."

Kai moved to her son and hugged him also as Carl moved to Gwen. "We love you very much," she said into his hair. Max, Sandra, and Wes did the same and left followed them out the room.

"So you must be Kenneth and Guinevere. You prefer Gwen and do you like Ken or Kenny better?" The only response was a glare. "Ok, Ken it is." Ana eyed the kids and quickly came to a conclusion. "Look, I know you're not thrilled with me being here, so let me level with you: your parents are concerned that you, Ken, aren't talking about what happened, and really concerned that you, Gwen, aren't talking at **all.** This isn't something you want to do, but it is my job and I'm pretty good at it, so why don't we give it a try." Ken just shrugged. Ana moved over to Gwen.

"So you don't feel like talking, huh? Well how about you draw me a picture?" She removed a pad of paper, a box of crayons, and some pencils from her briefcase, placing them on the bed. Gwen stared blankly back at her. "How about we start with this: your mom told me that your hair was longer before. Can you draw me a picture of how it got cut?"

Gwen's eyes widened and Ken's thoughts jumped back to a few days prior.

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_Author's Notes: _

_Thank you, thank you, __**THANK YOU**__ to my beta afigureofspeech! Go read her stuff!_

_Yes, I skipped over quite a bit. The story works better this way, promise. Bear with me; some of your questions will still be answered._

_I took some liberties with Anodite powers, but I didn't think what we see little Gwen doing is a big stretch from what the older Gwendolyn has done._

_The story is nine parts long. If nothing changes, parts one and eight will be the longest; nine the shortest._

_Quick note: Older Gwendolyn is referred to either as Gwendolyn or Aunt Gwen. Little Gwen is everything else._


	3. Chapter 3

**Consequences  
**

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**Part 3 of 9  
**

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_**Warning: Contains disturbing allusions and young children in adult situations. Reader discretion is advised.  
**_

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"_Well, aren't you just the image of your father, little Kenny?"_

_The look in 11K's eyes was different; more… disturbed this time than the previous visits to their "cell". Ken's wrist itched again and he absently scratched it; his body missed the Omnitrix as much as his mind did. It must have been torn off while he was unconscious; the skin on his wrist was red and raw. Gwen was frowning, more confused than scared at that point._

_Ken focused on the man in front of him, not knowing how to quite react to him. He shrugged. "I guess. I mean, my hair's a little darker."_

"_Really, you are. The hair, the eyes, the height. I'm sure you're told this all the time, but it really is uncanny." He was leaning on the door frame, causally, and then he tapped his scar with his index finger. "Are you like him in personality as well?"_

"_Well I-"_

"_For instance, did you inherit your father's arrogance? I wonder if it's genetic; Max obviously has it in droves. We all know have the penchant for sticking your nose in other people's business; all one needs is a video feed to see that. The annoying smirk, the superiority, and the inability to see beyond your own limited perspective; yes, it's all there." Kevin pushed himself off the frame and slid forward in front of Ken. His mouth was twisted in a disturbing grin, his shining eyes reminded Ken of, of all things, a snake's. He took an involuntary step back as the adult invaded his personal space. "Yes, Benji, you haven't changed the least."_

_Ken frowned, confused. What was going on….? "I'm not-"_

"_You throw me into the Null Void, you think you're rid of me, but I always, __**ALWAYS **__come back. You take everything from me; my life, my future, and you think that will stop me? You have your perfect, happy little life with your happy little family, yet you have to take __**my son too?"**__ He was yelling now; spit flying from his mouth, and his form slowly growing and changing, backing Ken into the wall. He grabbed him, lifting him up and roughly shoving him against the wall. "Well you will NEVER BEAT ME TENNYSON. DO YOU HEAR ME? I WILL NEVER STOP UNTIL I'VE TAKEN EVERYTHING AWAY FROM YOU TOO! I WILL DESTROY IT ALL AND MAKE YOU WATCH, AND _**THEN**_** MY SMILING FACE WILL BE THE LAST THING YOU EVER SEE!!"**_

"_LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Suddenly Gwen was behind 11K, pulling his tail, drawing his attention from Ken. Immediately Kevin's mood shifted. He quickly reverted back to human, dropping Ken as he shrunk. The boy stumbled, catching the breath he hadn't realized had been knocked out of him. But he quickly straightened, concerned about 11K's sudden attention to his sister._

"_And of course, wherever Benji goes, his know-it-all cousin must follow, eh? It's been a long time, hasn't it, Gwen? Or is it Gwendolyn now?" Gwen, realizing the predicament, stepped back, wisely staying silent. He followed her, backing her into the opposite wall. He squeezed his hands gently around her biceps, lifting her up until she was almost eye level. He pushed his body up more closely against her so he could hold her against the wall while removing a hand. Ken could only watch in shock as he then stroked her check lightly with his fingertips. _

"_Feisty, intelligent, strong, but not as strong as she thinks, oh yes, you haven't changed either, have you? I've watched you over the years as well, my dear. Wanted you here, with me, and now you are…." _

This is wrong, this is wrong,_ Ken's mind repeated over and over again, though he couldn't quite process what was going on; he had no frame of reference to decipher it, but it was _wrong, so_**wrong….**__ The terror on Gwen's face tugged at his gut. _She's my little sister; I'm supposed to protect her…._ But he was frozen in place. _

"_But the hair, oh the hair, that's different. I don't like it, no, but I can fix that." Kevin's arm shifted into a Kochab blade arm. Gwen's eyes widened even more when he shifted her, allowing him access to her hair, then the blade along it, amputating her long brown hair at her shoulders._

"_There. Much better." He grinned, than, a moment later, frowned. "Something else is wrong… some other way you are… not right." The gleam in his eyes dimmed a minuscule amount._

"_Cause I'm not her," Gwen whispered._

_Kevin froze, his eyes locked on hers. "What did you say?"_

"_I'm not her," the volume rose a bit, "I'm not."_

_The gleam dulled even more, and he shook his head, seeming to clear his mind, mood shifting again. "What?"_

"_You're talking about __**Gwendolyn**__ Tennyson, my aunt. I'm not her; I'm a kid, she's a grown-up. Remember?"_

_Kevin blinked, the crazed gleam completely leaving, and turned away, dropping her, and she crumbled to the floor. He didn't even look back as he tore out of the room. Ken rushed to Gwen's side, lifting her into a sitting position and hugging her as she began to shake._

"_Shhh, it's ok, he's gone, it's ok."_

"_Ken, it hurts, it hurts." He held her as she cried._

* * *

A few hours later, after the doctor had left, Ken sat down next to Gwen on her bed. He was careful to avoid her left arm, which as incased in a metal frame and propped up on pillows next to her. The TV was on and _Galactic Heroes_ was playing. It was hard for her to do anything that required movement at the moment. They both watched quietly for a while.

"Ken?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do I keep hearing everybody's feelings?"

He turned and looked at her. Her eyes were large and liquidy, reflecting the light from the TV and her own fears. "I don't know. I guess it's something to do with your powers."

Frowning, "But Aunt Gwen and Grandma Verdona don't."

"Aunt Gwendolyn doesn't know everything about being Anodite," he shrugged, "maybe she just hasn't figured that part out yet. And with Grandma, who knows what she can and can't do. She doesn't tell us alotta stuff."

"Maybe." A pause. "I don't like it. I wish it would stop."

"I know twerp, but you'll figure it out and then it won't be so bad. Every time I get a new alien, I gotta kinda figure out its powers too. It'll get better."

"You really think so?"

"Really really."

The music of the show filtered through the silence.

"Thanks Ken. I'm glad you're here." A genuine grin broke across her face. "But I'm _not_ a twerp."

"Are too."

"Are not!"

"Are too." By this point they'd usually be shoving and poking each other, but since that wasn't such a good idea, Ken reached over and tossed his sister's hair. She scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out at him, and they both laughed until _Galactic Heroes_ recaptured their attention.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

**Consequences**

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**Part 4 of 9**

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"_I have to go to the __**bathroom!"**_

"_He kidnapped us, dofus. I don't think he really __**cares **__about that."_

_Gwen Tennyson glared back at her brother before turning again to the door. She didn't know how long they had been there, and so far 11K hadn't seen any need to give them any food or water. Regardless, 9-year-old bladders were not intended to hold waste indefinitely, and she had to __**go.**_

"_**I gotta use the bathroom! I gotta use the bathroom!" **__she repeated, banging on the door. She hopped up and down, crossing her legs.__** "Lemme out!" **_

_To the kid's immense surprise, they heard a loud clanking noise, the thick door swung forward, with Gwen backing quickly out of the way._

"_Who is making that infernal noise?" human Kevin Levin roared at them. His fists were clenched and a vein in his forehead stuck out. Gwen took another step backward, her eyes growing larger as she craned her neck back to look at him. She was small for her age, and he was… not. Ken sat up straighter where he was seated across the room._

"_Umm… I gotta… go potty…"_

"_That is what the floor is for, child," he glared back._

"_But, … I can't… that's bad, I can't do that!" she stammered._

"_Listen very closely, insect," he leaned down, closer to her face, his voice deadly calm, "I have no time or patience for your whining. It would be very prudent for you not to anger me. Do you understand?"_

_Gwen froze, but it wasn't so much from his words or proximity as it was from the feeling that seemed to radiate off him. It was like she could feel him as well as see and hear. It was... strange. _

_The feeling was dark and threatening and scarier than anything she had ever felt before. She didn't like it. But she couldn't focus on anything else._

"_**I said, do you understand?" **_

_Ken was at her side, his hands on her shoulders. She didn't feel him as strong, but she could suddenly feel nervousness and protectiveness coming off him. He felt more familiar to her. "We understand."_

"_Wise answer, Tennyson. I trust you will keep your sister in line from now on."_

"_We'll be good."_

_Kevin's eyes narrowed. "I doubt as a Tennyson you have the ability to tell the truth, but for your own sake I suggest you try." He turned and left the room, shutting and chaining the door behind him._

_Gwen still stood frozen. Ken focused on her. "What is up with you?"_

_She blinked, trying to clear her head, but it was foggy and hurt. "I dunno. I feel weird."_

"_How weird?"_

"_Like…" she searched for the words, "like I could feel him, his feelings. They felt scary."_

_Ken frowned. "How do you feel his feelings?"_

"_I dunno, but, I think, I can kinda feel yours, too. Like… like now, you feel… confused and worried, an' you want… us to get rescued real soon."_

"_Like some kinda telepathy?" He felt a bit alarmed._

"_Maybe, I dunno what that feels like, but maybe." She looked up at him. "It hurts, Ken. It hurts my head."_

"_It'll be ok," his feelings not quite matching the tone in his voice, "go lay down for a little bit, ok? Maybe that will help. That's what Mom says to do when we're not feeling well."_

_So Gwen lay down on the floor, but continued to feel traces of 11K and Ken's feelings drifting to her the whole while._

* * *

The 10K Compound had been a bustling, hectic place filled with all types of people and beings since long before Gwen had been born. There had always been cons to that situation; the lack of privacy, inability to have a "normal" family life, and the fact that Gwen often became attached to people who were simply employees and would leave for new jobs and never look back. However, overall she had always liked it. The activity was exciting. She had extended family around her all the time. She was a social child, and liked having numerous people to talk to and play with. The Tennyson children were highly liked by all, and got quite a lot of attention from everyone. All in all, the compound was a good place to grow up.

In Gwen's current situation, it was a nightmare.

She was constantly picking up on stray emotions from people all over the base and beyond. The "signals" seemed to vary based on two factors; the closeness of the person and the intensity of the feelings. The closer and more intense they were, the stronger she felt them. Family members had taken to staying in the infirmary with them, and this was intensifying the problem. She was simply being exposed to too much.

It didn't help that she hadn't spoken to anyone except Kenny, so no one knew about her new powers or what they were doing to her.

Gwen was drowning in negative adult feelings she had never felt before, and becoming more and more withdrawn and worn out.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Once again, thanks to Afigureofspeech for betaing. Also thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I appreciated your comments, thoughts, and support._

_Last chapter was a bit… intense. I thought long and hard about that turn in the story, and I really feel that was the best way to go. I didn't take it lightly, nor did I do it for any type of shock value. It felt, organically, like it was the best, most realistic, course for 11K's abuse of the kids to take. Having said that, I do take Kevin's psychosis to a level well beyond seen in Ken 10, so I can understand why it can seem out of character. I appreciate that you have stuck with the story._


	5. Chapter 5

**Consequences**

* * *

**Part 5 of 9**

* * *

Devlin stood outside the infirmary door, hesitating. He knew the psychologist had left a while ago, so this was a good time for his surprise. His arms were laden with old 2D video game consoles, controllers, and games. He figured in their current states Ken and Gwen would be a) bored out of their minds and b) unable to use the simulator games, so these would be useful.

But he still had a hard time going in. He took a deep breath and shoved the door open with his shoulder.

"Hey dude, what's up?" Ken called out from where he sat on his bed. Gwen looked up from the doll whose hair she was combing and smiled.

"Yo, que pasa?" Devlin forced a smile onto his face. "I brought supplies."

"Really? What'd ya bring us?"

"I found this stuff in storage. It's a bunch of old video games; stuff you just play on a tv, so you can still do it when you're stuck in this room."

"Video games! Shwey!" Devlin dumped the mess on the bed and Ken started digging through it. Gwen turned as much as she could and craned her neck to get a better look. Devlin took the opportunity to really study them for the first time since they got back. Ken's stitches stuck out against the shaved portion of his hair. Bruises marked the right side of his face. He could see them on his shoulder, arm, and legs, where the pajamas had shifted. They were a disgusting mix of yellow, purple, black, and blue. He knew from talk around the complex they completely covered the younger boy's back.

Gwen's left arm was far worse. From her shoulder to her forearm was encased in a metal frame. The pieces had been surgically screwed into the arm to hold it in place while leaving the skin exposed. The reason for that was that her skin was burnt; it was a patchy mess of yellowish-blisters, red scabbing, and bright pink skin. A towel was wrapped loosely around part of the apparatus to protect the area from stray bumps. It was partially propped on a tower of pillows and Gwen had an IV drip to help with the pain.

Devlin felt his guilt intensify. "Sorry Gwenie, I didn't think about how hard it'd be to play like that, with one hand…" She shrugged her good shoulder.

"We'll just have to go easy on her. **This** time. 'Sides, she's a tough little kid; she'll handle it." Gwen beamed at Ken's praise. Devlin idly wondered when they had started getting along.

"Multiplayer, multiplayer…" Ken muttered, digging through. "Needs to be multiplayer… ok, how about this one?" He pulled out _Super Smash Brothers Hyperactive_. The boys found the console. "How is this supposed to hook up to the TV? This tech is ancient."

Devlin shrugged.

"Ok, we'll just call Jay down in Tech; he'll figure it out."

An hour, 3 techs, and a bit of electrical tape later, Ken stood, hands on hips, proud of their accomplishment. He tossed a controller to his sister, then plopped down on his own bed, ready to play. "Come on, Dev, let's play!"

Devlin's anxiety had only grown during the set-up. He needed to get out, quick. "Uh, no, actually guys, I gotta go. I got some, uh, homework to do."

Ken looked at him with disbelief. "_**Homework? **_Dude, video games trump homework every time! You gotta stay and play!"

"No, I really gotta finish it." He shifted his feet, moving towards the door. "You guys have fun, I'll see you later."

"But-"

Devlin was out the door and down the hall before Ken could finish the thought. He was back in his room before he slowed down again. He shoved the door closed, slumping against it and releasing a breath. His chest hurt.

He didn't know how to deal with the feelings raging inside of him. _It's my fault they're hurt, _he thought_. Dad went after Ken and Gwen because of me. If I just stayed away, they'd have been safe. __**It's all my fault.**_ He buried his face in his hands, overwhelmed. _It was my fault Dad attacked Ken and Ben the last time, it's my fault he's after them again this time._

Guilt wasn't something Levins, even former Levins, dealt with well. They usually just turned it around and used it to fuel their rage; Kevin always had. But Devlin was young and still had the ability to change, and more importantly, wasn't as far gone. He still had a grip on his humanity.

That humanity was rearing itself with a vengeance. The guilt was overpowering him, and he could only see one way to solve his problem.

He had to protect his new family. Especially from his old one.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Brownie points to the first person to tell me where the word "shwey" comes from. :)_


	6. Chapter 6

**Consequences**

* * *

**Part 6 of 9**

* * *

"_**YOU DID SOMETHING, DIDN'T YOU?!"**_

_The kids jumped, startled, and sat up from the positions they'd been sleeping in moments earlier. The door banged open, bouncing against the wall several times, admitting a very ticked, very mutated Kevin 11K._

"_**YOU CONTACTED THEM, DIDN'T YOU?! THAT'S HOW THEY FOUND US!"**_

"_We didn't do anything!" Ken protested, "Honest! You broke our communicators."_

"_Oh, but Tennysons are a tricky bunch. I'm sure you have some other trick up your sleeves. Trouble, the whole of you."_

"_But we didn't-"_

"_**SILENCE!"**__ 11K bellowed, pacing. __**"SHUT UP,**__ you worthless little gnats! If it's not one of you damned Tennysons ruining my plans, it's another. I should have just killed you both and been done with it. Left your rotting carcasses draped over that statue of his. Yes, oh yes, __**that **__would have shown him, made him rue the times he destroyed my life." He focused on the children again. "Come. We are leaving." _

_Maybe it was his demeanor or simply the term "rotting carcasses", but the kids didn't move to follow him; instead, they each shrunk back, away. Gwen was trembling, and if Ken had the presence of mind to think about it, would have stepped in front of her._

"_Come on!" he screamed. His tentacle arm shot forward, wrapping around Gwen's left arm, yanking her forward. She cried out as her shoulder was pulled out of the joint and her bone snapped at the elbow. She crumbled to her knees. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air._

"_STOP IT! LEAVE HER ALONE!!" Ken launched at him, pounding whatever part of his body he could reach. 11K grabbed him around the neck with his Tetramand arm, throwing the boy into the wall. Ken's head made an audible crack as it ricocheted against the wall. He was out cold, blood flowing from his scalp._

_Kevin heard the sounds of his pursuers and dropped both children. He quickly activated a devise on his belt, opening a portal, and he jumped through it, not once looking back at the damage he had caused._

_The team of Plumbers rushed the room only moments later._

* * *

"Grandpa?"

"Yes, Kenny?"

"Did anybody figure out how 11K got out? And where did you send him before, anyway?"

Max looked up from where he was changing Gwen's IV bag. He shouldn't have been surprised by the question; this was, after all, the kid that managed to figure out where they'd hid the Null Void Chamber. Gwen was looking at his curiously too. He sighed.

"After the last time he broke out, I had a contact take the Egg to Incarcecon. Since the Null Void never seemed to hold him, we thought we'd give that a try."

"Great," Ken muttered, "nothing like locking him up with tons of other aliens he can absorb. So how'd he get out?"

"There was a reported break-out about three months back. Almost thirty inmates were reported as escaping."

"And no one thought to check and see if he was one of them?!"

"Actually, we **did, **which was what confused us at first. We even sent a team of Plumbers there to confirm his identity. While all of us were busy looking for you two, Incarceon officials did an internal investigation. Near as they can figure, he had a Volrath shape-shifter impersonating him in the jail."

"Great."

"Well, at least we learned something from it. Next time, we'll make sure that we get DNA samples and psychic IDs as well as visual confirmation." He sat down next to the boy, putting his hand on his shoulder. "It won't happen again."

"Not the same way, no." Ken sighed. "Look, we appreciate you guys trying to make us feel better, but we all know that it could. It could be 11K, it could be somebody else, but it could **always** happen again."

"Kenny," Grandpa tried to warn, "not in front of you sister-"

"Yes, in front of her! If there's anybody who knows what could happen, it's Gwen. Trying to hide it from her ain't gonna work. We, Gwen, Dev, and me, we all know the drill. We know you guys try your best to protect us, but it ain't always possible." He looked up at the old man. "It's ok, Gran'pa. **We'll** be ok, really."

Max's fingers went to his eyes, rubbing them, trying to stop the tears that had formed. He hadn't cried the whole time; too busy trying to find the kids then get them healthy; no time for emotional breakdowns. "We were so worried; we didn't know where you were or what was happening to you," the sobs came out. "And what he did to you, and Gwen's arm…"

"It's ok ," Ken hugged him, "It's ok, you can cry."

Max hugged him as tight as he could with his injuries, tears dripping into the boy's hair. Gwen hopped out of bed and rolled her IV over with her. She joined, hugging her grandfather with her good arm, and Max pulled her in, too.

* * *

_Very Random Author's Notes:_

_For Adam, who wanted to know how Kevin got out. Thanks again to A__figureofspeech for betaing!_

_Incarcecon is the prison planet from _Secret of the Omnitrix_._

"_Shway"(apparently I spelled it wrong) is a term used in the Batman Beyond cartoon in indicate "cool". And now to play six degrees of WB superhero cartoons: Terry McGinnis, aka Batman, was voiced by Will Friedle, who also voices, among many other characters, KenTennyson on Alien Force. In addition, Glen Murakami, current producer of Alien Force, was a producer on BB. I'm sure there are more connections as well, but you get the idea. _

_This part's brownie points go to the first person to tell me where __Volrath shape-shifters are from. _

_Lastly: Does anyone else find the "Stats" and "Reader Traffic" tab on their user account horribly addicting? I keep watching it and hitting "refresh" over and over. Dang you, internet! _


	7. Chapter 7

**Consequences**

* * *

**Part 7 of 9**

* * *

"Ken! Ken! Wake _up, _Ken! Wake up!"

Ken blinked in the darkness. Gwen stood beside his bed, looking only slightly more disheveled than he felt. They had been released from the infirmary two days prior and were sleeping in their own rooms, so he was a bit surprised to see her there. Her portable IV hung on a strap off her shoulder. "Gwen, it's like, late. What are you doing here?"

"Devlin's leaving! We gotta stop him!"

"Wha? What do you mean?"

"He's running away and we gotta stop him!" She pulled on him with her good arm.

He slowly sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Why would he do that?"

Gwen pulled him into a standing position. "He thinks it's his fault we got hurt and if he leaves 11K won't hurt us again. Come _on,_ let's go."

Ken was finally fully awake. He pulled on some shoes and followed her out. "How'd you know all this?"

"I can feel him, _duh."_

"You know where he's at too?"

"Yeah, going down the elevator. We gotta get to him 'fore he gets too far."

"Does it seem like everybody else is having a harder time dealing with our kidnapping than **us?" **he asked as they raced down the halls.

"Yep," she agreed.

They crossed the living rooms and family dining area to the elevators. They were usually locked down for the night. There were two tiers to this part of the system; one kept outsiders out; the other was set to go off if someone inside tried to leave. The adults had the security codes, but the kids didn't. The system had obviously been shut down to let someone else out. Ken recognized the tampering; it's was something that he, aka, Grey Matter, figured out, and then taught to Devlin and Gwen.

They saw the same thing at the security systems at the bottom of the compound. Though they didn't see Devlin, they could easily follow his path. Luckily, they didn't have to slow to disable the systems themselves, and when they exited the back doors into the dreary night, they finally caught up.

"**Devlin!"**

He turned around, startled, but cringed a bit once he realized he'd been caught.

"Man, _what _are you _doing?"_

Ken watched as Devlin readjusted his backpack over his shoulders and sighed. "Guys, go back to bed. This, well, it's nothing you should worry about."

"That's bull, man. You're running away! What are you thinking?" Ken moved closer to his friend. "Why don't you want to live with us anymore?"

Devlin sighed. "It's not about that, I just can't stay here anymore. It was a bad idea. I gotta go."

"What?"

"He thinks it's his fault," Gwen said quietly. Ken turned to her. She stood behind him, her hair mussed, pajamas wrinkled, and barefoot. Her face was scrunched in sadness and concentration. "He thinks 11K wouldn't have hurt us if he wasn't here. If he goes away, we'll all be safer."

Devlin stared at her, angry. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Yeah, actually, she does," Ken replied, looking between the two of them. "That's messed-up, dude. 11K has been after Dad for, like, ever. He went after us to get at Dad. That's got nothing to do with you."

"Yes it does!! The note said, 'Mess with mine, I mess with yours'! He did it 'cause I live with Ben now, and he's mad about it!"

Ken shook his head. "He woulda done it anyway. The first time I met him, when you let him out of the Void? He attacked me to get Dad right away. You weren't living with us then."

"HE ATTACKED YOU 'CAUSE I LET HIM OUT!!"

"We all make mistakes! You think he'll just leave us along 'cause you leave? He won't. You know him, you **know **he won't."

"At least it won't be my fault."

"No it won't," Ken replied harshly, "it will just be your fault we lose our brother."

Devlin looked down at his feet. "I don't think I can do this," he whispered, "I feel so bad. I can't even look at you guys, I feel so guilty. I don't know how to stay here when staying makes me feel so bad."

"It's part of being human," Ken said gently. "You gotta learn to feel stuff like this. 11K always took the easy ways out, his whole life. When stuff got hard, he just got angry. You told me you wanna be better than him. You gotta learn to BE better then. You gotta deal with this stuff. Talk to us or Mom or Dad or Grandpa or Aunt Gwendolyn or whoever, we'll help you. But you gotta try."

Gwen was at her brothers' sides. "We love you, Dev. It's not your fault, and we want you to stay. Please?"

Ken saw the conflict in Devlin's eyes slowly give way until they heard a loud noise to their right. The kids turned to see a portal open and their father fall through it to the ground.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Thanks again to Afigureofspeech!_

_One more part, then part 9 is the epilogue._

_I've been vaguely surprised that no one has asked where Ben (or Gwendolyn for that matter) have been. Well, regardless of if you're curious or not, you're about to find out. :)_

_Volrath shape-shifter is a Magic: the Gathering card. I never played, or owned any cards, but my brother did, and it was something of a personal joke between him and me. That and Smash Brothers were both shout-outs to him._


	8. Chapter 8

**Consequences**

* * *

**Part 8 of 9**

* * *

It started to rain the moment Ben "10K" Tennyson felt his back scrape the ground. He pushed his bangs out of his face as he watched his irate cousin step back through the portal after him. A galaxy of beings would tremble before the woman in front of him, but he was _not _intimidated.

"What the **hell **do you think you're doing?" he bellowed, standing up and using his height against her. "I'm on a mission! You can't just yank me out in the middle of it!"

"Mission?!" she retorted, getting right up in his face. **"Obsession** is more like it. You need to back off and let the others handle this one. I **told** you, you're getting too crazed. How many times have you told the group that if you seek revenge, you will make mistakes and people will get hurt? You **know **this, Ben. You're not thinking rationally! I'm your friend, I **have** to stop you. Forget that as your second-in-command it's my **job AND** I promised Kai and Grandpa I'd look out for you. You're irrational, exhausted, stressed, and grieving. I'm **not** letting you out there until you deal with it."

"He hurt my **children, **Gwendolyn!"

"You think I don't know that?! You think I don't love them too, that what happened isn't tearing me up inside as well?! It is! But they need their dad, and they won't have him if you keep this up!"

"I have to stop him! I have to make him pay!"

"Dad?"

The adults turned around, flipping water from their now dampened hair, to see the three kids standing there, silently watching the display. Neither had seen them since hours after the rescue, as they had been "out".

"Dad," Ken repeated, running over to his father and throwing himself in his strong arms. Ben hugged him back, tightly, "Kenny…"

The others still hadn't moved when the two parted minutes later.

"Kenny, son, why are you guys out of bed so late? It's raining out here, we need to get you inside-"

"Dad, so much is messed-up." Ken suddenly threw his head around, looking back. "Devlin's trying to run away!"

"What?!"

"It's true, you gotta help us stop him!"

Ben looked at his oldest son, whose face was suddenly guilty. "Dev, come here." The boy reluctantly obeyed. "Why are you trying to run away?"

Ben watched Devlin's eyes filled with tears. "Cause it's all my fault. My father, he, he, took Ken and Gwen and hurt them because of me. I **had** to go, so he'd leave you all alone."

"Devlin, **none** of this is in **any **way your fault," he responded firmly, catching on to the problem. "That man, well, he's messed-up, but that has **nothing **to do with you. You are my son now too; don't know how it'd hurt if we lost you? You are part of **this** family now, not his, and we all love you the same as we do Ken and Gwen. It's my job to protect **you,** you and your brother and sister, not your job to protect us. Sometimes," he paused, feeling Gwendolyn's eyes on him, "sometimes the bad guys just get in a lucky shot. It happens, and it's not anyone's fault. You belong **here,** with us, now. Ok?" Devlin nodded. "Come 'ere," and Ben pulled him into a bear hug.

He shared an apologetic look with Gwendolyn, and placed a hand on each boy's shoulder. "Come on, it's cold and rainy out here. Let's all get inside and talk in there. Come on Gwenie."

They moved towards the door, but Ben paused when he heard Gwendolyn call out to the girl again, "Come on Gwenie, what's the matter? We're all going inside." Ben turned and looked at his daughter fully for the first time that night. She was still in the same spot, frozen, and her face… The look on her face was pure terror.

"Gwen? Sweet Pea, what's wrong?" He moved towards her, and she took a step back, frightened. Ben halted with confusion, but Ken was instantly at her side, bending down a little. "What's wrong?"

She turned to him. "I'm scared, Ken."

"Of what?"

She remained silent, eyes wide, but she took an involuntary glance to Ben. "Of Dad?" She nodded. "Why?"

"He feels bad."

"Bad?"

"Like… **he** did. Angry and scary."

"Do you know what she's talking about?" Gwendolyn asked Ken.

"Yeah, I do. Aunt Gwendolyn, with your powers, can you ever, like, feel people? Like, telepathy?"

"No…"

"Well, I think Gwen can, now. It started when we were captured; ever since then, she's been able to pick-up people's feelings and stuff. Dev, that's how we knew about you tonight. Anyway, the feelings sometimes hurt her and she can't really shut them down yet."

"That makes no sense, if can't do it, she shouldn't be able to."

"But you said yourself you don't know all about your powers still." Ken looked thoughtful. "And somebody, I forget who, said lots of times part alien kids' powers, what's that word, manifest? During times of stress. Well, we were under a lot of stress."

"That does make sense," she responded looking at Ben.

"But why's she scared of **me?"** Ben replied. This was a new experience for him. He'd never seen his children scared of him, not even in his most intimidating alien form. It caused his chest to tighten.

"You were kinda intense a couple minutes ago," Ken reminded him.

"She's seen me yell before!"

"But she's never **felt **you yell before, it makes a difference." He turned to his sister, "Gwen, it's ok, it's Dad, you know he'd never hurt us."

"But he was so mad. He was mad and sorta crazy, just like 11K. And he hurts bad guys all the time. He wants to hurt 11K, just like 11K wanted to hurt us." Her eyes filled with tears. "My head hurts." Ken hugged her.

Ben was floored and ashamed with himself. In his anger, he had hurt his baby girl. She was terrified of him. Nothing he'd ever done his whole life seemed quite as bad as that. He looked over Devlin's head at Gwendolyn for guidance. She looked at him sympathetically.

"If I'd known this would happen, I would have transported us somewhere else for our 'discussion'," she apologized.

"What do I do?"

"If she really is empathetic… Try this: feel good thoughts at her. Feel your love for her, comfort, and reassurance. Let her know with your feelings that even though you were angry you still love her and she's still safe with you."

Ben slowly walked closer to his youngest children. Gwen stiffened, but stayed still with Ken's arm around her. Ben stopped a few feet from them and crouched down more eye level.

"Gwen," he began, focusing his emotions behind his words, "I love you very, very much. I would never, ever, hurt you. I'm going to do everything I can to keep you safe, always. I'm sorry I failed, but I'll never stop trying. Yeah, sometimes I do get mad; everybody does sometimes, and that's ok. I know it must be very hard for you to feel right now; I didn't mean to hurt you or scare you. Sometimes I get so angry I want to hurt bad people. That's because what they do makes me so mad. But then I calm down. I will never, **ever **be like Kevin 11 Thousand, because he hurts people for fun, and I never do. I try not to hurt **any**body, but sometimes I have to, to make them stop. "

He took a deep breath, glancing at his feet and back up, rain dribbling down his nose then flipping up. "You guys, you, Ken, Devlin, and Mom, you're my whole life. You're what make my whole life worth living. When he took you, I was so scared. I don't know what I would have done if we hadn't found you. When we got you back, all that fear turned to anger because of what he did to you. I'm so sorry I made you feel that. I'm also sorry I wasn't here for you kids."

"We needed you here, Dad," Ken said softly.

"Yeah," Devlin added.

"I'm really sorry to all of you; I should have been here. And Gwendolyn, I'm sorry I made you put up with me this past week."

"That's all right, I'm used to it," she teased lightly, standing next to Devlin with her arm around his shoulder. "I've been doing it since we were kids."

Ben refocused his attention on Gwen. "Can you forgive me, honey?"

Gwen sniffed, rain running down her face, and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked up, nodded, and ran to him, burying himself in his arms. He rubbed his cheek against her sodden brown hair, stroking it with a hand, picked her up, and they all walked inside.

Together

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Thank you, AFigureofSpeech!_

_Last up is the epilogue._


	9. Chapter 9

**Consequences**

* * *

**Part 9: Epilogue**

* * *

"All right, I'll say Colonel Mustard, with the rope, in the conservatory."

"Aw man!" groaned Ken, "I've been trying to get to the kitchen like forever!"

Weeks later, Ben, Devlin, Ken, and Gwen were spread out on the living room floor, the game board between them. Kai was longing on the couch, reading a magazine. Rocky, Ken's pet, was curled up next to her. It was a nice, quiet day in, just the six of them. Even Max and Gwendolyn had cleared out of the day, fishing and shopping, respectively.

"Sorry Ken," Ben smirked, "Gwen?"

"Nada, Dad. "

"Devlin?"

Devlin pulled the rope card out of his hand and slid it over to his dad. He was pretty sure Mustard did it; that's why Ken kept getting pulled everywhere. "Here you go. Gwen's turn."

She rolled the dice and took four spaces toward the study. "And no fair using your powers to figure it out, that's cheating," Ken told her.

"Yeah, and using XLR8 to win at soccer **isn't?** Pass the Oreos," she easily responded.

"Well, don't think I'm buying that 'involuntary reaction' B.S. anymore; I think you **can **control it." She smirked back, popping a cookie in her mouth.

"Kenny! Language!"

"Sorry, Dad."

As Ken took his turn, Ben turned to Devlin. "Everything ok, son?"

He offered him a big smile. "Yeah Dad, everything's good. Promise."

And as he watched his family play, he knew it was. He hadn't gotten it before. His first year of life with the Tennysons had been easy. He had thought his whole life that if he had a family that loved him, everything would be ok, and the past year had seemed to prove that.

But then things had gotten hard. His perfect life hadn't been as perfect as he thought it was, and he couldn't handle it.

Now he knew the truth. Nothing in life was perfect, not even the Tennysons.

But it was totally worth it.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Whew! That'd be the end, folks. I hope you enjoyed reading it half as much as I did writing it!_

_Thanks, as always, to the wonderful AFigureofSpeech for her beta work! Thanks to all who reviewed; your advice and comments have been very much appreciated. Lastly, thanks to all who read. Hopefully I produced something worth reading. ___


End file.
